Suspended atomizing apparatus



22, 1967 A. STRENKERT 3,337,136

SUSPENDED ATOMI Z ING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 16, 1965 7 i H M]. FIG. 3

INVENTOR A y VA ,4 :rez-wzeer ivwmw ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,337,136 SUSPENDED ATOMIZING APPARATUS Lynn A. Strenkert, Norwalk, Conn., assignor to The Perolin Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 16, I965, Ser. No. 514,262 9 Claims. (Cl. 239-2883) This invention relates to a suspendible multinozzle atomizing apparatus adapted for use in the spraying or fogging of liquid materials within large confined spaces, such as cargo holds of oil tankers and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus of the character described which can be readily inserted into and removed from such confined spaces through restricted openings while permitting spray discharge from substantially separated positions within such confined spaces. Still more particularly, the invention relates to a suspendible multinozzle atomizing apparatus in which the several nozzles which form part thereof are effectively protected against damage and malfunctioning in swinging movements of the suspended apparatus.

The atomizing apparatus of the present invention is useful for the introduction of liquid treating agents by spraying and fogging techniques into many types of large enclosed spaces. It is particularly effective, however, in the introduction of liquid cleaning agents into large storage tanks for petroleum products including, for example, the cargo holds of oil tankers. Accordingly, the device and its method of use will be described with special reference to the conditions encountered in such storage tanks and cargo holds.

In the holds of oil tankers which may have 1000 ton, 2000 ton and higher cargo capacities, and in land based storage tanks which may be of much larger size, a major problem in introducing cleaning agents or other liquid treating materials is the difiiculty in reaching all inner surfaces with uniform and ample quantities of treating material in a reasonable time without even having to enter the tank to reach inaccessible areas. This problem is amplified by the limited number and size of openings providing access to tanks. For example, a 2000 ton tank may have four spaced deck openings, each about 18" in diameter.

Furthermore, such tanks may be 30 to 40 or more feet in depth with the result that any swinging motion imparted to apparatus lowered through such deck openings can very easily cause banging against side wall and support structures of a tank, with possible damage to such apparatus. This problem is very real on oil tankers, since it is customary to conduct tank cleaning operations while at sea, and the rolling of the ship, even in a relatively calm sea, will cause substantial swinging of any apparatus suspended in cargo holds.

The novel atomizing apparatus in accordance with the present invention, which effectively solves the problems above mentioned, comprises an elongated tube or body part having central means for horizontal suspension and end means for vertical suspension thereof, connector means centrally of said tube for detachably aflixing a plurality of fluid feed lines, multinozzle spray heads supported within and inwardly of opposed ends of said tube, conduit means within said tube providing separated fluid flow between said connector means and spray heads, each spray head having one nozzle disposed axially and a plurality of nozzles disposed radially with respect to said tube, and said tube having a plurality of large radial openings spaced inwardly of the tube ends and circumferentially of said tube to align with said radially disposed nozzles.

3,337,136 Patented Aug. 22, 1967 The invention will be readily understood from a consideration of the following description taken together with the accompanying drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated with the various parts thereof identified by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an atomizing device in accordance with the invention shown in the normal or horizontal suspended position, and indicating in dotted lines the vertical suspended position thereof.

FIG. 2 is a shortened plan view of the atomizing device shown in FIG. 1 with parts of the structure broken away and in section and with the radial nozzles removed.

FIG. 3 is a shortened side view of the device looking in the direction of the arrow 3-3 with parts of the structure broken away and in section, and with the radial nozzles removed.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the device shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 with the radial nozzles attached or located, and

FIG. 5 is a partial view on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4 with part of the structure broken away and in section and showing one radial nozzle in side elevation.

As shown in the drawing, the atomizing device comprises a body part 10 in the form of a hollow tube, suitably of aluminum, and preferably about 5 to 6 feet long and 3 to 4- inches in diameter. At the mid-point of the body part 10 a horizontal suspending means 11, suitably inthe form of a ring bolt passing through an aperture in the tube, and mounted by means of a clamp nut or other fastener 12, provides means for attaching a suitable suspending cable 13 as shown in FIG. 1. In radial alignment with the suspending means, but adjacent one end of the body part, there is mounted a second suspending means or ring bolt 14 adapted to receive a second suspending cable 15 which is normally slack to permit horizontal orientation of the suspended body part. When supporting tension is switched from cable 13 to cable 15, this permits vertical orientation of the body part, as shown in the dotted line position in FIG. 1, facilitating movement of the apparatus vertically through restricted openings, such as the deck openings of oil tankers.

The sides of the body part 10 in alignment with the suspending means 11 are provided with opposed apertures 16, 16' over which mounting plates 17, 17' for a fluid feed mechanism 18 are attached by suitable screws or other fastening means 19. The fluid feed mechanism .18

which is preassembled in part and inserted as a unit into the tube 10 comprises a pair of fluid conduits or pipes 20, 20' having central T-couplings 21, 21' aligned with the mounting plates 17, 17', and passing through spaced apertures 22, 22' in support blocks 23 at opposed end portions of the tube 10 to register with the inner chambers (not shown) of a conventional multinozzle head or manifold 24 receiving a plurality of detachable nozzles. The manifolds 24 preferably support a single axial nozzle 25 and four radial nozzles 25 which, by reason of the inclined mounting surfaces 26 of the manifold, are aimed slightly in the direction of the axial nozzle 25, as clearly shown in FIG. 5 of the drawing. The support blocks 23, which closely fit the inner diameter of the tube 10 are secured to the manifolds 24 by suitable bolts or fasteners 27.

The preassembled fluid feed mechanism 18, suitably with the nozzles 25, 25 detached, is slid through one end of the tube 10 and positioned with the T-connection 21, 21' in alignment with the mounting plates 17, 17 and the support blocks 23 equally spaced from the respective ends 10' of the tube 10 by means of screws or fasteners 28 passing through the tube 10 and into the blocks 23. It will be noted that when axial nozzles 25 are attached to the anchored assemblage, they are spaced inwardly from the tube ends 10 a distance suflicient to protect the nozzle against damage if a tube end should impinge on a tank wall or other hard object in swinging movement of the apparatus.

The tube 10 is also provided with a plurality of elongated radial apertures 29 (four at each end of the tube) which are so aligned with the manifolds 24 and the in clined surfaces 26 thereof as to aim the radial nozzles 25' through the centers of said aperture (note FIG. of the drawing). This permits free attachment and detachment of the radial nozzles 25' through the apertures 29, assures non-interference of the aperture edges with the nozzle spray pattern, and at the same time protects the radial nozzles against damage since they are wholly within the boundaries of the tube 10.

When the fluid feed mechanism has been anchored in the tube 10, nipples 30, 30' are inserted through the mounting plates 17, 17 into the T-couplings 21, 21 and the latter are drawn toward the mounting plates by bushings 31, 31 which bear against flattened surfaces 17 of the mounting plates, thereby springing the pipes 20, 20" to provide a firm support for them. Angular couplings, or ells 32, 32 secured to the nipples 30, 30 facilitate attachment of hoses or other fluid lines 33, 33 which extend along the cable 13 to a supply point outside the tank or enclosure in which the apparatus is suspended.

One of the feed lines 33, 33' and associated pipes 20, 20' will carry compressed air or other gas and the other feed line and pipes will carry a liquid cleaning agent or other treating material to the gas and fluid chambers of the nozzle heads or manifolds 24 to be mixed within the nozzles 25, 25 for discharge in the desired spray or fog pattern. It is to be understood in this connection that details of the nozzles and manifolds per se form no part of the present invention, and that suitable commercially available nozzles and manifolds can be selected, depending on the viscosity and other characteristics of the liquid to be sprayed or atomized, and factors such as spray pattern, particle size and carry-distance of discharged liquid droplets or particles. In addition to nozzle selection, the regultion of gas and liquid pressures as they are fed to the nozzles contributes to the providing of the desired spray or fog discharge.

In use of the atomizing apparatus in tanker holds and other deep tanks, the tube 10, while supported in an essentially horizontal position, will swing and rotate with any motion imparted to the support cable 13, such as the rolling motion of a vessel at sea. Thus, the. discharged spray or fog will impinge upon inner tank surfaces and support structures from many dilferent angles as the spraying is continued for extended periods at different elevations within a tank. The apparatus is particularly effective in the cleaning of petroleum residues from oil tanker holds by pressure fogging of cleaning agent, in which event, it is preferable to operate the apparatus first near the tank bottom, then at a mid-point, and finally at an elevation near the top. With other type treating materials, however, it may be preferable to work from the top down, or even to operate at a single elevation within the tank.

The cable 15 secured to the ring bolt 14 has been described as used primarily for tilting the apparatus to permit its vertical passage through a tanker deck hatch or other restricted opening. If desired, however, the cable 15 can be held under slight tension and spaced from the cable 13 where they emerge from the restricted opening as a means for limiting rotation of the tube 10, or aiming it in a particular direction. Such aiming or orientation of the tube within a tank can be useful, for example, when it is known that certain portions of the inner tank surfaces need a more direct or extended exposure to the cleaning agent or other treating material being discharged.

Moreover, by proper manipulation of the cables at the point of emergence from a restricted tank opening,

the path of swinging may be controlled, particularly if a ship is in port or on a relatively calm sea. A sidewise swinging of the tube 10 might be desirable, for example, to better reach corners between top or bottom and side walls, and an endwise swinging movement could aid in better reaching Vertical corners formed by tank walls or structural supports.

Various changes and modifications in the atomizing apparatus herein disclosed will occur to those skilled in the art, and to the extent that such changes and modifications are embraced by the appended claims, it is to be understood that they constitute part of the present invention.

I claim:

1. An atomizing apparatus comprising an elongated tube having central means for horizontal suspension and end means for vertical suspension thereof, connector means centrally of said tube for detachably receiving a plurality of fluid feed lines, multinozzle spray heads supported within and inwardly of opposed ends of said tube, conduit means within said tube providing separated fluid flow between said connector means and spray heads, each spray head having one axially disposed nozzle spaced inwardly from the tube end and a plurality of nozzles disposed radially with respect to said tube, and said tube having a plurality of large radial openings spaced inwardly of the tube ends and circumferentially of said tube to align with said radially disposed nozzles.

2. An atomizing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said spray heads are detachably secured to support blocks closely engaging the inner Walls of said tube, and said blocks are positioned in said tube by detachable fastener means.

3. An atomizing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said spray heads are detachably secured to support blocks closely engaging the inner walls of said tube, said blocks are positioned in said tube by detachable fastener means, and said conduit means, spray heads, and support blocks being removable as a unit from said tube upon disengagement of said fastening means.

4. An atomizing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said radial nozzles are attachable through said radial openings and when attached do not protrude beyond the inner surface of said tube.

5. An atomizing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for horizontal and vertical suspension of said tube comprise ring bolts secured at center and end portions of said tube in common radial alignment.

6. An atomizing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said conduit means separately feed pressurized gas and pressurized liquid to said spray heads.

7. An atomizing apparatus comprising an elongated tube having central means for horizontal suspension and end means for vertical suspension thereof, connector means centrally of said tube for detachably receiving a plurality of fluid feed lines, multinozzle spray heads supported within and inwardly of opposed ends of said tube, conduit means within said tube providing separated fluid flow between said connector means and spray heads, each spray head having one axially disposed nozzle spaced inwardly from the tube end and a plurality of nozzles disposed radially with respect to said tube, and said tube having a plurality of large radial openings spaced inwardly of the tube ends and circum-ferentially of said tube to align with said radially disposed nozzles, said conduit means being arranged side by side and longitudinally of said tube, and means at the juncture of said conduit means and connector means for laterally stressing said conduit means to firmly support the same centrally of said tube.

8. An atomizing apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said spray heads are detachably secured to support blocks closely engaging the inner walls of said tube, and said blocks are positioned in said tube by detachable fastener means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,182,669 5/1965 Campbell et a1. 134-105 3,246,659 4/1966 Ballard 134-105 3,254,656 6/1966 Campbell et al 134105 EVERETT W. KLRBY, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN ATOMIZING APPARATUS COMPRISING AN ELONGATED TUBE HAVING CENTRAL MEANS FOR HORIZONTAL SUSPENSION AND END MEANS FOR VERTICAL SUSPENSION THEREOF, CONNECTOR MEANS CENTRALLY OF SAID TUBE FOR DETACHABLY RECEIVING A PLURALITY OF FLUID FEED LINES, MULTINOZZLE SPRAY HEADS SUPPORTED WITHIN AND INWARDLY OF OPPOSED ENDS OF SAID TUBE, CONDUIT MEANS WITHIN SAID TUBE PROVIDING SEPARATED FLUID FLOW BETWEEN SAID CONNECTOR MEANS AND SPRAY HEADS, EACH SPRAY HEAD HAVING ONE AXIALLY DISPOSED NOZZLE SPACED INWARDLY FROM THE TUBE END AND PLURALITY OF NOZZLE DISPOSED RADIALLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID TUBE, AND SAID TUBE HAVING A PLURALITY OF LARGE RADIAL OPENINGS SPACED INWARDLY OF THE TUBE ENDS AND CIRCUMFERENTIALLY OF SAID TUBE TO ALIGN WITH SAID RADIALLY DISPOSED NOZZLES. 